Tunnel lining



v Feb. 19, 1929.

' Filed May 27, 192'/ 1,702,646 o. L. ELTINGE TUNNEL LINING 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

OBVILLE L. ELTINGE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TUNNEL LINING.

v Application led May 27,

This invention relates in general to the process of lining of tunnelswhich are cut inearth of various degrees of softness and is well adaptedto be used in the construction of tunnels of any magnitude.

Whether a tunnel is being driven in soft earth'or in a rocky formation,some means of temporary support of the roof and sides of the drift isrequired as the work progresses to prevent the squeezing or caving in ofthe softy earth or the accidental dislodgement of fragments in a rockyformation. The'hither-k to employed temporary shoring has not only beenexpensive to install but usually constitutes a. great interference withfurther tunneling operations and is no small impediment to the latertask ofplacing a permanent masonry lining in the tunnel. Both of thedis-. advantages of temporary shoring arey obviated by my method oftunnel construction and new advantages not heretofore known are madepossible. The construction which serves the purpose of a temporaryshoring as disclosed invthis application is also allowed to remain inposition and becomesl a valuable part of the permanent lining of thetunnel.

One of the objectsl of this inventionis to provide a lining for atunnel, aportion of which serves as a temporary shoring and so serveswithout hindrance to further vtunnel operations.

Another object of this invention istogprovide a tunnel lining whichserves as a temporary system of shoring and which is later incorporatedinto the permanent shell conveniently and at a remarkably low cost.

Another object of' this invention is toprovide a method of tunnel liningin which temporary shoring is built upinl short sections as thetunneling progresses and-which leaves p a clear central passage forfurtherl tunneling operations.

Another object of this invention is toprovide a method of tunnel liningin which temporary shoring is erected in shortsections and does notinterfere with further tunneling operations and which may later beincorporated into the permanent shell of the tunnel.

Another object of this invention is to pro- Y vide a system of shoringfor a tunnel during construction which leaves a free Working passage andwhich is incorporated into the permanent lining of the tunnel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a system of shoring atunnel during con 1927. Serial No. 194,570.

struction which leaves a free working passage and which is incorporatedinto the per,- manent lining of the tunnel serving during suchincorporation to savetheV later added material from strain until suchmaterialhas become permanently set in place. l

Another object of this invention is toprovide a reinforcement for tunnellinings which may be brought into the tunnel in small pieces and erectedin small units which are eventually formed into a rigid tunnelreinforcement which serves both as a-temporary shoring and which becomespart of the permanent lining of the tunnel. .i

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of tunnel liningwhich is capable of being adapted to any type of soil condition andlends itself to rigid and economical tunnel construction. 'f

Other i objects, advantages and capabilities are inherent to thisinvention and will later become apparent.

Referring now to the drawings in which an embodiment of the invention isillustrated,

Fig. l is a cross sectional view of a tunnel equipped with the temporaryshoringrwhich sustains the lagging and walls' until it is desired toconstruct the permanent lining.

Fig. 2 is another view of the same construction showing wooden formsplaced-inside of the rigid frame to be utilized when pouring thepermanent concrete shell of the tunnel, thus incorporating the temporaryshoring into the tunnel lining as permanent reinforcement.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of al tunnel showing a pluralityof braces and in permanent position and showing temporary Wooden formsfor the forming of the concrete shell. v

Fig. 4 illustrates the staggered arrangement of the lagging which may beutilized whenever it is possibleto insert lagging strips of suiicientlength to accomplish this.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reinforcement is shown asapplied to a tunnel of cylindrical shape, though, kof course, thisreinforcement could be used either in whole or in'part equally well fortunnels of other shapes. Laggingy consisting of planks 11 of suitabledimensions are placed upon the bottom of the tunnel and a bottom section12 of the frame is placed above the lagging and separated therefrom bymeans of Wedges 13. The Wedges will be so arranged as to dispose thisarcuate frame Vline of the tunnel.

y tunnel, whether they be soft or ingportions of the wall of the tunneland is separated from the frame by means of the wedges 13. rlhe wedgesmay be made of wood or any other suitable material and will drive thelagging firmly against the tunnel Walls and also cause all of thelagging to be firmly supported by the frame.

lt is clear then that when the frame and lagging are so arranged, thewalls of the reasonably hard are equally well supported and theadditional tunneling operations may be con* tinued. The shape of thisreinforcement z d the free central passage which it all'ords make itideal for temporary shorii Arlhe length of the planks used for lag r mayvary without altering the usefulness the invention and the frames may beplaced as near to one another in the length of the tunnel as may seemdesirable7 or the conditions require.

Not only is this reinforcement ideal for temporary shoring, but it isadapted to become part of the permanent reinforcement of the tunnellining'. This is accomplished by erecting a temporary form for theretention of concrete, which form will be made up of the sections l?.rllhe sect-ions 17 are fastened together into a rigid frame by means ofthe cleats 18. Concrete may then be introduced between the perimetralwall 19 of this concrete form and will fill all ofthe space between thatwall, surrounding the frame and extending back to the lagging where itlikewise fills in between the wedges and any void spaces between thelagging strips. l he frame may be provided with a plurality of holes 21,if desired, to aid the concrete in gripping it. The frame may have anyone of many shapes and may be built up of number of smaller pieces ofmetal fastened together to form arches or trusses and may be made ofexposed metal or may be in part coyered with concrete or some othersubstance set upon a metal frame,

lt will be noted that when the concrete form consisting` of the sections17 is removed, the frame is entirely inolosed and the entire temporaryshoring has become part of the permanent shell. lt is apparent also thatthe newly poured concrete is not burdened with the pressure from thetunnel walls inasmuch as the walls are still being supported by thelagging, wedges and frame. When the concrete is fully set, it lendsadditional strength to the frame which is supporting the lagging andserves to oppose some of the thrust of the lagging directly itself. Italso locks the wedges in position and prevents any shifting of thelagging inwardly from the position in which it was originally placed.Although a few cleats 22 are shown as separating the forms 17 from theframe work, this was done for purposes of illustration only and need nothe resorted to in the actual use of the invention as it is not desirableto allow such cleats to become imbedded in the inner face of the tunnelwall. v

`While concrete is referred to above as the material used in thepermanent shell, it is evident that brick, tile or other material mayalso be used and set firmly around the frame members to reinforce themand be reinforced by them. y

lll/hilo the frame is' shown and described as being composed of threeparts, it should be understood that a frame made up of two parts muy beused equally well and that un-A der some conditions a frame of four ormore rparts may be used.

llt shouldL be understood that the embodiment of the invention disclosedhas been selected for the purpose of illustrating the invention and thatvarious modifications and changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. Having shown and described thisinvention,

l claim: l. A. tunnel lining comprising lagging disposed against theearth walls of the tunnel, a rigid frame within said lagging, meanssupported by the frame for spacing the lagging apart from the outside ofthe frameand a masonry shell extending radially within and outside ofsaid frame and reinforced thereby.

2. A method of lining a tunnel comprising disposing a rigid frame withinthe walls of a tunnel and spaced apart therefrom, placing laggingbetween the frame and the walls of the tunnel, forcing the laggingagainst the walls with wedges inserted between it-and the frame wherebyto support the walls on said frame, and thereafter placing around theframe and wedges a material to form a permanent inner tunnel surface andwhich is reinforced by said frame.

3. A method of lining a tunnel comprising installing lagging against thewalls of a tunnel and supporting the lagging on a rigid frame disposedradially within the lagging; said frame having no portion extending intothe ultimately useful area of the tunnel, and bracing the lagging firmlyagainst the walls of the tunnel and apart from the frame whereby theframe and lagging becomes the support for the tunnel walls.

4. A method of lining a tunnel comprisingV installing a rigid frame in anewly formed tunnel section and placing lagging against the earth wallsof the tunnel and outside of said frame, spacing the frame generallyapart from and within said lagging and supporting the lagging and earthwalls `on said frame, the frame having no portions extending into theworking area and ultimate useful area of the tunnel.

5. A method of lining a tunnel comprising disposing a. rigid frame inthe tunnel, )lacing lagging outside of said frame, and separating thelagging from the frame with wedges whereby the earth walls of the tunnelare firmly retained by the lagging which in turn is rigidly supported onthe frame, saidL frame having no portions extending into the ultimatelyuseful area of the tunnel.

6. A method of lining a tunnel comprising placing lagging against theearth walls of the tunnel, supporting the lagging against compression ona rigid frame disposed inside of the lagging and spaced apart therefrom,the frame being of generally annular shape and having no portionextending into the ultimately uscful area of the tunnel, and thereafterinclo'sing said frame with a material to form a permanent inner wallsurface of the tunnel.

7. A method of reinforcing a tunnel lining comprising lining the earthwalls of the tunnel with lagging, supporting the lagging on a rigidframe and spaced apart therefrom, the

frame and lagging adequately supportingv said walls at all points andleaving a clear central passage larger than the ultimte internaldimensions of the tunnel for the further work of tunneling, andthereafter inclosing the inner and side surfaces of the frame with amaterial to form a permanent inner tunnel wall.

8. A method of lining a tunnel comprising setting a rigid frame inposition in a tunnel, placing lagging outside of said frame, spacing thelagging apart from the frame by means of wedges bearing on the frame,placing an inner form within the frame and spaced apart therefrom, andpouring concrete into the space between said form' and lagging to form apermanent shell for the tunnel with the frame within the concrete asreinforcement therefor.

9. A method of lining a tunnel comprising lacing lagging against theearth walls of the tunnel, supporting the lagging against com pressionon a rigid frame disposed inside of the lagging and spaced aparttherefrom, and thereafter surrounding the peripheral, inner andsidesurfaces of said frame with a material which forms a permanent innerwall surface of the tunnel and which is reinforcedl by the frame. 10. Amethod of lining a tunnel comprising disposing a rigid frame within thewalls of a tunnel, inserting lagging bet-Ween the outer surface of theframe and the wall of the tunnel, moving the lagging radially outwardlyby driving wedges between it and the frame thereby supporting thelagging on the frame and spaced apart therefrom, and thereaftersurrounding the peripheral, the side and the inner surfaces of the framewith a material to form a permanent inner tunnel wall which isreinforced by said frame.

l1. A tunnel lining comprising a rigid frame, lagging disposed radiallyoutside said frame, separating members disposed between the lagging andthe periphery of the frame for holding the lagging spaced apart from theframe, the frame separators and lagging being adapted to serve as arigid support for the earth walls of the tunnel prior to the addition ofa permanent lining, and a permanent linino enclosing the framesurrounding its periprlieral, side and inner surfaces and adapted to bereinforced by the frame.

In Witness of the foregoing I affix my signature. e

` ORVILLE VL. ELTINGE.

